Guard-rail clamp.



G. L. HALLr GUARD RAIL CLAMP.

nrmonron 1 mm AUG. 22, 1901.

Patented May 30, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

llllHl v lNl/ENTQH M446 A; ATTORNEYS G. L. HALL. GUARD RAIL CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented May 30, 1911.

lllll'l ll'lll INVENTOH m/w/W ATTORNEYS GEORGE L. HALL, OF NEW YORK, N.Y.

GUARD-RAIL CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911.

Application filed August 22, 1907. Serial No. 389,675.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. HALL, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guard- RailClamps, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings, in which.-

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the device in position; Fig. 2 aplanview, the track and guard rails being shown in horizontal section;Fig. 3 a horizontal sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1;Fig. 4 a detail perspective view of one member of the wedge-block; andFig. 5 a similar View of the other member of the wedge-block.

This invention relates to that class of devices known as guard railclamps, and which are used for the purpose of clampinga guard railto theadjoining track rail, a filler-block or spacing means being interposedbetween the two rails to hold them a fixed distance from each other.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide means by which theclamp may be rigidly held in position without spiking the clampingmeansto the tie, or keying it to the guard rail.

Another object of the inventionis to provide means whereby the clampwill be held in place by a wedge device, and a tension device mounted onsaid wedge device, to hold the same tightly in engagement with the wedgeblock or co-acting wedge piece; and a further object of the invention isto provide means whereby the wedge may at any time be forced into closerengagement with the wedge block to increase the clamping effect on therails.

It is well known that in devices of this character where a wedge is usedto secure the clamp in place, a Very slight movement of the wedge willloosen the clamp and render the entire device practically useless. Themeans heretofore used for holding the wedge against the co-acting partswere defective in that they did not provide for a convenient andefficient adjustment of the wedge to tighten the parts,

This invention provides means for hold- 'ing the wedge tightly inposition and under a tension; and also provides means for increasingthis tension and for taking up any slack which may occur between thewedge and its co-acting part by reason of wear, or

expansion or contraction of the parts of the guard rail. To space theguard rail a suitable distance from the track rail I employ the two-partfiller block 3. This block is composed of two parts, 4 and 5, which areseparated vertically on a diagonal line, the adjoining surfaces thereofbeing ribbed and grooved vertically so that the two parts may beinterlocked to prevent independent end-wise movement of said sections ormembers. The member 4 is provided midway between its upper and loweredges with an outward extending horizontal rib 6 which extends theentire length of the block; and the co-acting member 5 is formed with acorresponding groove 7 to receive said rib, whereby the two members willbe held against independent vertical movement. The member f isconsiderably longer than the member 5 to provide for a considerablerange of adjustment. It will be seen that by adjusting the blocks oneach other the guard rail may be spaced various distances from the trackrail. The member 5 is provided with a longitudinally extending lug 8which is perforated vertically to permit a spike to be driven through itinto the adjoining tie for the purpose of anchoring the filler block atthe desired point between the two rails.

The clamp bar proper 9 is formed with a main horizontal portion 10 whichextends under the two rails, as shown in Fig. 1. At one end of saidclamp bar is formed with a short upward extending hook 11 which isdesigned to engage the edge of the base of the track rail. The other endof the bar is formed with a large upward extending yoke 12 and withinsaid yoke and against the adjoining side of the guard rail 2 is arrangedthe wedging device by which the clamp bar is held in position. Thiswedging device consists of a wedge-block formed of two parts 13 and 14,having the oppositely inclined faces 15 and 16, the face 15 being formedon the part 13 and the face 16 being formed on the part 14. These facesincline toward each other, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The outer face ofthe part 13 fits against the vertical web of the guard rail and underthe head thereof. This part 13 is also formed with a base piece 17 whichfits on the top of the base of the guard rail, as shown clearly in Fig.1; and this base piece, at one end of its outer edge, is

formed with a downward extending holding lug 18 which engages the sideof the clamp bar 9 and holds the block 13 against movement in onedirection. The other part of the wedge b1OCk,'14:; fits against theinner side of the yoke 12 and is provided at its upper end with anupward extending lug 19 which is adapted to engage the upper part of theyoke 12 and to hold the said member of the wedge block against movementin one direction through the clamp bar. The block 13 is formed at itsupper end with an over-hanging head 20 which extends out beyond the rearedge of the inclined face 15, as shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2 and 4e, andfor a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Fitting between the two inclined faces 15 and 16 of the members of thewedge block is a wedge 21 whose vertical sides are tapered to correspondwith the inclinations of the faces 15 and 16. This wedge rests upon theupper surface of the base part 17 of the wedge block member 13 and fitsunder the overhanging part of the head 20 of said member so that saidwedge is held against vertical movement by said wedge block member. Theupper end of the yoke 12 of the clamp bar extends over and engages theupper side of the wedge 21, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, and holdsthe wedge in position against vertical movement. This inward extendingportion of the yoke 12 also holds the member 14 of the wedge-blockagainst vertical movement.

The wedge 21 is bored longitudinally to receive the clamping bolt 22,and the larger end of the wedge is formed with a recess 23 to receivethe head 24: of said bolt. A

U-shaped washer or bridge piece 25 is placed over the threaded end ofthe bolt, its ends resting in recesses 27 formed in the vertical facesof the members 13 and 14 of the wedge block. To force the wedge inwardbetween the two members of the wedge-block a nut 28 is screwed on theprojecting end of the bolt and bears against the outer end of theU-shaped washer. The washer or bridgepiece is somewhat flexible so thatwhen the nut 28 is forced against it the wedge will be held between thetwo members of the wedge block with a spring tension, the U-shapedwasher tending to hold the wedge tightly in position and taking up anyslight variation in the expansion or contraction of the wedge or themembers of the wedge block or other parts of the clamp.

It will readily be seen that the wedge may be tightened conveniently andquickly at any time by screwing up the nut 28 against the U washer 22,and that by this means the wedge is securely held in its position. "It

will, therefore, be unnecessary to spike it to a t1e, or key it to theguard rail, or to secure it in any other way against endwise movement.It will also be understood that by providing the holding lugs 18 and 19the members of the wedge block will be held in their proper positionswith respect to the clamp during the operation of screwing up the nut 28to force the wedge between the members of the wedge block.

By providing one member of the filler block with the perforated lug 8,said filler block may be placed at any desired point between the trackrail and the guard rail and spiked to the tie to hold it in position. Bythis means it will be unnecessary to always place the filler blockbetween the rails and over the clamping bar; it may be placed at oneside of the clamp bar.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A guard rail clamp comprising a clamp arm provided with means at oneend to engage the track rail and at its other end with upward extendingmeans to engage a wedge device, a two-part wedge block fitting betweenthe clamp arm and the guard rail, one of said parts being provided witha substantially vertical portion to engage the web of the guard rail,and a horizontal portion to engage the base of the guard rail and tosupport the wedge, both of said parts being provided with inwardlyinclined vertical faces, and a wedge between the two parts of the wedgeblock, each part of the wedge block being provided with means to engagethe clamp arm, and means for drawing the wedge in between the parts ofthe wedge block and holding it in position.

2. A guard rail clamp comprising a clamp arm provided with means at oneend to engage the track rail and at its other end with an upwardlyextending yoke adapted to receive a wedge device, a two-part wedge blockfitting within the yoke and bearing against the guard rail, said partsbeing provided with means for engaging the yoke to hold them againstlongitudinal movement through the yoke, a wedge between the two parts ofthe wedge block and adapted to separate them, a bolt connected to thewedge and projecting from the smaller end thereof, means on the bolt toengage the parts of the wedge block, and a nut on said bolt, whereby thewedge may be drawn in between the two parts of the wedge block.

8. A guard rail clamp comprising a clamp arm provided with means at oneend to en- 1 of said wedge, a nut on said bolt, means to prevent the nutcontacting with the ends of the wedge block, and means connecting thewedge blocks to the clamp yoke whereby they will be held stationaryduring the movement of the wedge.

4. A guard rail clamp comprising a clamp arm provided with means at oneend to engage the track rail and at its upper end with an upwardlyextending yoke, a two-part wedge block fitting within the yoke andadapted to bear against the guard rail, the inner adjoining faces ofsaid wedge block sections converging, a double wedge fitting between thearts of said wedge block, a bolt projecting rom the smaller end of saidwedge, and a nut on said bolt to draw the same inwardly between theparts of the wedge block.

5. A guard rail clamp comprising a clamp arm provided with a yoke at oneend, a two part wedge block in said yoke and adapted to bear against theadjoining side of the guard rail, the inner faces of the parts of saidwedge block converging, and a double wedge between said parts.

6. A guard rail clamp comprising a clamp arm provided with a yoke at oneend, a twopart wedge block in said yoke and adapted to bear against theadjolning side of the guard rail, the inner faces of the parts of saidwedge block converging, a double wedge between said parts and means foradjusting said double wedge.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses this 8th day of August 1907.

GEO. L. HALL.

\Vitnesses:

WM. R. DAVIS, E. H. H. KAUFMANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

I Washington, D. C.

